Cycling Tips

Off-Road Riding & Racing

Save Your Levers

Positioning LeversIf a lever loosens and changes position, or when installing new levers, it's important to set them correctly. To prevent levers from bending in crashes, be sure to position them so that when the lever is closed, the end does not protrude past the end of the handlebars. This will ensure that the bars hit the ground, not the levers, which bend easily.

For optimum control, it's also important to find the right position for how you ride. Ideally, the levers will be positioned so you can rest your hands on them and operate them comfortably without bending your wrists (illustration). In other words, the levers should be a natural extension of your arms. Depending on the distance from the handlebars to the seat and how you sit on your bike, you might like them somewhat flat or more angled downward.

Adjusting ReachSome brake levers have set screws that allow fine-tuning reach, the distance from the handlebar to the lever. This is helpful for adjusting the lever to provide maximum braking power at the point where your hand creates the most force. For example, the larger your hand, the more comfortable you are with a wide reach while a smaller hand requires a shorter reach in order to control the brakes.

If your brake levers don't have reach adjustments, try fine-tuning the reach with the cable barrel adjusters. If these don't provide the adjustment you need, you can get it by loosening the cables slightly, however, only make this adjustment if you fully understand brake adjustment because if you're not sure, you could compromise your brakes.

If you have any questions about these adjustments, please contact us. We want you to be safe and are happy to help.